Mounting and control means for adjustable saws



A rilZO, 1948. LE ROY w, 2,440,158

MOUNTING AND CONTROL MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLE SAWS Filed May 2, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 1 IIHIIHIII IHII HHII II INVENTOR .ZeRoy Ulb'ly ATTORNEYS April 20, 1948. LE ROY w, SLY 2,440,158

MOUNTING AND CONTROL MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLE SAWS Filed May 2, 1945 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR .ZeRoy [0.855; V

ATTORNEYS Y B m mmmmmmmmmWWWHHWMMHWM n r v. 8 a W 2 0 r M f iatented Apr. 20, 1948 UNlTEl) STATES PATENT OFFIC MOUNTING AND CONTROL MEANS FOR ADJUSTABLE SAWS 8 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to sawmills, and in particular the invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, improvements in the sawmill shown in U. S. Patent N 0. 1,962,329.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simplified mounting and control mechanism for the vertically adjustable edging saws of a sawmill assembly of the type to which the above identified issued patent is directed.

A further object of the invention .is to provide independent and selectively operative, manual adjusting means for each of the vertically adjustable edging saws; the latter being counterbalanced for ease of adjustment.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a mount for the edging saws which permits of ready removal thereof, for replacement or sharpening, without dismantling other portions of the mill.

It is also an object of the invention to incorporate a novel gauging device in combination with the edging saws and adjusting means, whereby to visually indicate to the operator the width to which the boards will be cut by said saws.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive sawmill, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved sawmill showing particularly the adjustable mount and control mechanism for the vertically adjustable edging saws.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation of said mount.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross section on line 3--3 of Fi 1.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the mill comprises a base, indicated generally at I, adapted to be rigidly mounted and supported, intermediate its ends, a cross shaft 2 which is fitted at its forward end with a circular rip saw 3. The cross shaft 2 is driven from the opposite end by a drive pulley 4 adapted to be connected with suitable drive means (not shown).

To one side of the cross shaft 2 the base I supports an upstanding frame, indicated generally at 5, and which frame extends transversely of the base I parallel to the shaft 2. The frame 5 includes a bottom beam 6 formed with a horizontal slide 1 which engages with a tongue and groove fit in a matching channel in the base I, whereby said frame 5 is slidable transversely of the base I. The frame 5 includes a horizontal top beam 8, a vertical back beam 9, a vertical front beam I0, and a horizontal intermediate beam II; the intermediate beam II and the bottom beam 6 projecting forwardly some distance ahead of the front beam I0 and at their outer ends being included in a gear box I2.

The upstanding frame is adjusted, transversely of the base I, by an upright hand lever I3 pivoted adjacent but short of its lower end, as at I4, on an upstanding bracket plate I5 which is secured to, and extends between, the bottom beam 6 and the intermediate beam II. The lower end of hand lever I3 is pivotally connected, as at IS, with a control rod H which extends rearwardly in slidable relation through an upstanding ear I8 on the base I. A compression spring I9 surrounds the rod II between the lower end of lever I3 and the ear I8, while a stop nut 20 is threaded on said rod for engagement against the ear I8 on the side opposite the spring. The hand lever I3 is normally but releasably held in fixed position by means of a pawl and quadrant unit, indicated in part at 2|. When the pawl and quadrant unit 2I is released, the hand lever I3 is swung in one direction or the other to effect sliding movement of the frame 5 transversely of the base I, which controls the depth of cut of the edging saws, as will hereinafter appear. The employment of the spring I9 permits the entire frame 5 to shift rearwardly in the event that the hereinafter described edging saws strike an obstruction.

Ahead of the front beam ID the mill includes a vertical drive shaft 22 which extends upwardly from within the gear box I2; said drive shaft being driven by a bevel gear unit 23 within said gear box, and which bevel gear unit is in turn driven by a horizontal cross shaft 24 supported in the frame 5 and extending to the back thereof. At the back of frame 5 the cross shaft 24 is fitted with a pulley 25 driven by a flexible endless belt 26 from the cross shaft 2; the flexible belt permitting of transverse adjustment of the frame 5 and its supported mechanism.

At its upper end the vertical drive shaft 22 extends through a bearing 21 fitted on the outer end of a horizontal frame bracket 28 which is removably mounted, as at 29, in connection with, and projects forwardly from, the forward and upper end of the fraine 5.

ito the drive shaft '22.

anionse A plurality of circular edging saws 30 surround the drive shaft 22 in vertically spaced relation, and each of said edging saws is fitted on a rotary collar 3f which surrounds the drive shaft 22 in vertically slidable but relatively non-rotatable relation, as each of the collars 3| includes a key riding in a vertical spline 32 of said drive shaft. Inother words, the edging saws 30 are capable of adj ustirieht up and downthe shaft '22, While remaining in driven relation to the same.

Each of the rotary collars 3| is formed with an annular peripheral channel 33 in which a horizontal shifting fork 34 cooperatively engages; each shifting fork including a shank 35 "which extends horizontally rearwardly. Each shank 35 is formed, adjacent its rear end, with a vertical hub 36.

The hubs 36 each engage about the lower end :extends vertically from, the intermediate beam ill in front of the front beam fill, i. -e., parallel Subst'ahtiall'y Semi-circular guards 40 are mounted on the fork 's'h'anks 135 and surround the rear half portion of the cirlcular edge saws 30.

Each edgingsaw unit, asabove described, is manually vertically adjustable by means of the following arrangement:

Each of the fork shanks 35is fitted'atj the rear with a horizontal rearward and laterallydiagonaled handlever ll by means of which the'cbrresponding edging saw unit may beshifted up or down relative to the drive shaft Each of the horizontal hand levers El incliides a spring pressed latch 42 adapted to engage, at any 'se lected point, with a vertical rack E3 i'nbu'nt'ed on the frame adjacent the assembly ofthe tiibular guides 31. manipulating the hand levers M an operator mayreadily and accurately set the edging saw unitst'o the desired relative positions, which positions control the width of the boards beingedged by said units.

In order to'facilitate setting of the edgingsaw units avertical scale or gauge it-1's fixed to one of saidunits and extends upwardly alohgs'ide the others; said other units each inemdinga pointer 45 reading on said gauge. By this arrangement the operator of the hand' levers 4''] can readily determine exactly the spacing between the edging saw units.

To assure of easy adjustment of the edging saw units up or down relative to each other the same are counterbalanced in the following manner:

A flexible cable 46 is attachedto' an ear 41' at the rear end of each fork shank 35 and thence extends upwardly over direction-changing"pul= lyS'fla'fiiilthe'top beam S'at tl'ie'frol'it of the frame 5.- From thepulleys' 48' the cables 16 extend real wardly andpass in depending relatio'n'over other pulleys 49'. Frolii the pulleys 49' the cahleslfi extend downwardly to connection; as at 5fl, with separate flat-sided, adjacent counterweights 5'! disposed side by side relation within-the frame 5'. The counterweights' 51 each include a support ing shank '52, and said shanks" extend'forwar'dly to pivotal connection with the front beam I'll on '4 a common axis, as at 53. When the operator manipulates one of the hand levers 4| the corresponding counterweight 5| moves upwardly or downwardly in counterbalancing relation to the corresponding edging saw unit.

When the above described mill structure is in operation, a log carried on a log carriage (not shown) shuttles back and forth infront of the base i, the rip saw 3 cutting boards from the log, while the edging saw units, including saws 30,

"out such boards to width; the depth of cut of advanced suihciently to permit of use of said edgi-ng saws on work passing outwardly of the rip saw 3 on the carriage.

when it is desired to remove the edging saws 30 for sharpening or replacement, it is only necessary to detach the frame bracket 28 from the frame '5, and the cables @36 rrgm the forks 3'4, whereupon the tubular guides at with the corresponding edging saw units may be successively removed jupwardlyfrom the structure and clear oft-he drive'sha'ft 22. I V

From the'foregoing description it will be readily seen that there een produced such a sawmill as substantially fulfills the objects of the-invention-asset forth herein.

While thisspe cifi'catioli sets forth iii detail the presentahd preferred-construction of the sawmill, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to asdo hot form a departurefrom the spirit or the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the 'i'nverition, the following is claimed as and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired: V I

1; an edging saw asseinbiy for sawmiuscbmpri-s'i'iig a frame, a driveh Vertical shaft on the frame, a simi arity bf verticially spaced; circular edgingsaws surroun ing the shaft, collars on which the saws are secured, s'aid" collars being slidably splined to the shaft and having periphera-1 chafiiiels'tlireih; a hbiizoilt'al shiftihgfork engage in eac'h'chanhl rtic'al guide means for saidfork'sgaiid'iheahs releasably latching-said forks for manual vertical adjustment; said guide meanso'ompri'sing telescopically arranged tubulai gui es; ftifli'si bi'n'g'fix'ed toeorrespondin oii''s" of said guides at the lower end thereof, and a vertical guide rod over which the innermost guide sndabry engages.

2; An edgin saw assembly as in claim 1 in lufii g a plbjbiliiili' frame portion iilclllldifig a bearing for the upper end portion of the shaft, and a 'giiide rlck tlirou'gh-which-the outermost tubular guide slidably extends; said frame portionbei-ng removable.

3. An edging saw asseiiibly for sawmills, comprising airaine, a driven snart' upstanding' from the frame, a guide rod upstandihg from the 'ffahleih spaced but-'parallelreiation to the shaft, apmranty 6f tles'tiobi'allly arranged tubular guides surrounding and guided by the rod, a tiiig i'rieifi bei fixd off and projet'itiiig' from thelowei ild of each tiibulair guide, said shiftingii'ii'fibfs-liifig Vertically Sfibiel Circular satifsiifipei 'ted By-each' member and'fsurrounding the shaft in vert cally slidable', driven relation, and normally l-athd but releasable, manually actuated-means to" vertically adjust said" membeis separately afi'd slctivly: 1

4; edging saw assembly farsawmnaeamshifting member fixed on and projecting fromthe lower end of each tubular guide, said shifting members being vertically spaced, a circular saw supported by each member and surrounding the shaft in vertically slidable, driven relation, a hand lever rigidly secured to and projecting from the unit of each shifting member and corresponding tubular guide, and means releasably latching each hand lever against vertical movement.

5. An edging saw assembly for sawmills, comprising a frame, a driven shaft upstanding from the frame, a guide rod upstanding from the frame in spaced but parallel relation to the shaft, a plurality of telescopically arranged tubular guides surrounding and guided by the rod, a shifting member fixed on and projecting from the lower end of each tubular guide, said shifting members being Vertically spaced, a circular saw supported by each member and surrounding the shaft in vertically slidable, driven relation, and normally latched but releasable, manually actuated means to vertically adjust said members separately and selectively; there being a counterweight corresponding to each saw movably mounted on the frame, and means connecting each counterweight in counterbalancing relation to the corresponding shifting member and tubular guide unit.

6. An edging saw assembly for sawmills, comprising a frame, a driven shaft upstanding from the frame, a guide rod upstanding from the frame in spaced but parallel relation to the shaft, a plurality of telescopically arranged tubular guides surrounding and guided by the rod, a shifting member fixed on and projecting from the lower end of each tubular guide, said shifting members being vertically spaced, a circular saw supported by each member. and surrounding the shaft in vertically slidable, driven relation, and normally latched but releasable, manually actuated means to vertically adjust said members separately and selectively; each shifting member including a hub surrounding and fixed to the corresponding tubular guide, and counterbalancing means for the shifting member and tubular guide units, said counterbalancing means including upwardly extending cables connected to the members adjacent said hubs.

7. An edging saw assembly for sawmills comprising a rigid frame which includes a pair of beams spaced apart vertically, a vertically disposed shaft journaled at its upper and lower ends in the top and bottom beams, respectively, means to drive the shaft, a plurality of saws mounted in driven relation on the shaft and slidable along the length thereof, a rigid guide post fixed to the lower beam and projecting vertically upward therefrom in spaced relation to the shaft, a plurality of tubular guides telescopically mounted one upon the other for relative sliding movement; the lowermost of said guides being telescopically slidable over said guide post, means on each guide for supporting a saw in operative position on the shaft, and means for vertically adjusting each guide independently of the others.

8. An edging saw assembly for sawmills comprising a rigid frame which includes a pair of beams spaced apart vertically, the upper beam including a removable bracket as a part thereof, a vertically disposed bearing and a vertically disposed collar arranged on said bracket in spaced apart relation, a vertical shaft journaled in the lower beam and in the bearing in the bracket, means to drive the shaft, a plurality of saws mounted in driven relation on the shaft and being slidable along the length thereof, a rigid post fixed to the bottom beam and projecting vertically in axial alinement with the collar on the bracket, the cross sectional diameter of the post being less than the cross sectional interior diameter of the collar, a plurality of tubular guides telescopically mounted one upon the other for relative sliding movement, the lowermost of said guides being slidably mounted over the post and the uppermost one of said guides having a sliding fit through said collar, means on each guide for supporting a saw in operative position on the shaft, and means for vertically adjusting each guide independently of the others.

LE ROY W. SLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 282,213 Neacy July 31, 1883 219,497 Morris Sept. 9, 1879 429,514 Elliot June 3, 1890 497,768 Cole May 23, 1893 775,576 Neubert Nov. 22, 1904 837,444 Willett Dec. 4, 1906 1,426,676 Rudich Aug. 22, 1922 1,962,329 Sly June 12, 1934 

